Gossip
by Steph From Hell
Summary: I've decided to torment you to the very end of your days, he said and he bloody well meant it, Malfoy pulled her into a tangle of gossip,love,business, and shameless flirting and now that she feels that the whole school is after Hermione, she cant get out
1. Misery Begins!

Chapter No. 1

Skilled Manipulator

I fiddled with my wand as the stairs leading to Professor Dumbledore's office twisted around and climbed up to the giant oak doors of his office and I wondered why exactly Dumbledore had called me up so early in the morning. What could be that important? And what did it have to do with me, Hermione Granger, senior student of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry? I could only think of one thing…..

_I'm getting the Head Girl position!_

Obviously, I had been worrying about not getting the badge all summer since normally they send the badge through owl post, and I sat beside my window everyday wondering when I would get it and why was it taking so long, avoiding the idea of the possibility that I wasn't going to get the badge (just the thought of it made me cringe).

_But that doesn't matter now, there's no other reason why Dumbledore would call me up to his office so early in the morning! I am going to get the head girl position! _

The stairs clicked to a stop and now I stood before the giant oak doors. _The doors of heaven_, I thought and chuckled happily. I made to knock but the doors opened before expected and what I saw confused me more than any theory on an ancient runes book:

Pavarti Patil and Draco Malfoy were staring at me in confusion…well, more like Pavarti staring at me in confusion and Malfoy glaring at me with all his might.

"Well, you sure did take a while to get here Granger; we've been waiting for you all morning!" said Malfoy angrily "Stop staring at us like an idiot and take a seat!"

"And where might I sit if there aren't any more chairs?" I asked him, feeling irritated already.

"Not to worry, Miss Granger! I brought a chair for you myself!" said Dumbledore materializing out of nowhere and placing my chair beside Malfoy's to my distaste. Malfoy was hardly someone I would sit beside of.

Alas, I did and as soon as I did Dumbledore smiled and began to speak.

"Well I know you all might be wondering what you're doing in here, so I'll get to the point" he said "I know you were all expecting to get a bit of mail in the summer but this year I decided to give the badge to you myself"

_I knew it! I knew it! I'm the new Head girl. _

"The head boy position obviously will go to Mr. Malfoy, it is incredible how much his attitude and grades have improved through the years and I think he deserves a reward for it" He said beaming at Malfoy who looked pleased (and probably overly so) with himself.

I did expect him to get the position; after all, he _had _gotten smarter through the years but it was quite disappointing to think that everyday for the rest of the year I would have to see his ugly (_not really_) face over and over again. I wish Harry would have gotten it.

_Lovely Harry, with his green eyes and that thin luscious mouth of his he'd speak the words that would lead students through the—_

"Granger, snap out it" said a clear voice, recognizable as Malfoy's.

"Oh? What? Sorry, I was thinking about something." I said, feeling a bit strange.

"No problem Miss Granger, as I was saying a moment ago, the competition for the position of head girl was quite close. A popular girl among the four houses and our very best student…."

_Popularity is overrated, _I thought trying not to stare at poor Pavarti… surely she would be devastated.

"I asked help from the prefects and they made a choice pretty quick" Dumbledore chuckled a bit "even Mr. Malfoy here helped"

_Bet he voted against me. _

I looked at Malfoy from the corner of the eye, his attention was fixed on Dumbledore and his face was calm with certain coolness about it. Like he new what was about to happen.

"The outcome of this little poll held not long ago was very surprising, nothing like what I expected it to turn out." I let out a small sigh of excitement, as Dumbledore opened his mouth to say the results…..

"The new Head Girl is Pavarti Patil."

Confusion reigned in the room for a good amount of time.

I opened mouth to say something but was suddenly cut off by the unlikeliest person in the room.

"I'm sorry, _what_ did you say?" Malfoy spat out in awe.

Dumbledore's eyebrows rose so high that they seemed to have hidden on his scalp.

"I'm the new Head Girl!" said Pavarti, eyes wide and moving around the room manically. "WOO HOO! I'M HEAD GIRL! I CANT BELIEVE IT!"

She rocketed off her chair and ran out of the room saying something like "I gotta tell Lavender weeee!"

A deafening silence filled the room as soon as the doors banged shut.

I looked at Malfoy; his expression of surprise had been replaced with a _downhearted one_…..?

Suddenly, Dumbledore cleared his throat and began to say the words that although well intentioned, were going to make my life more miserable.

"I know how much this meant to you, Miss Granger, but I thought that maybe Miss Patil would be a beacon of light for the new students, she is very popular among the four houses and recently popularity makes more of an impression that exceedingly good grades and morality."

Malfoy made an almost inaudible snort of laughter.

_Thanks Professor, you just said that all my effort isn't worth anything. _

I had to look at the bright side, I wouldn't have to spend the rest of the year standing Malfoy's childish attitude.

_I think I'm gonna throw up. _

I got up from my seat, directing a smile to the two men staring at me and slowly, very slowly made my way to the door never taking my eyes of Dumbledore. Incredible how a man that had simply sprung back from the dead less than a year ago suddenly knew everything about his students and damn it! It was getting hard to hate him for it.

"Thank you, Professor, I'd love to continue to discuss this decision of yours but I have pressing matters at hand, have a nice day!" I said, finally feeling the knob of the door against my hand and attempted to open it but it wouldn't budge. I turned around to grasp it fully but to no avail.

The room was spinning around me almost as fast as the thoughts in my head.

I pulled the door harder but again it didn't budge.

"Do you need help, Miss Granger?" Dumbledore looked at me, puzzled.

"Oh? What' No, it's alright, I'm alright. I just feel a bit----

I passed out.

We stood in the midst of a forest full of little shinning orbs.

My dress was of astonishing beauty, whiter than ivory, sparkling in the night like a beacon of hope, little pearls attached to the silky resembling droplets of dew, a lake full of floating lotus flowers glistening romantically in a side .

I looked around and saw Harry standing at the lake's shore, looking more striking than ever before. Green eyes twinkling, he approached me and held me against him, hands firmly on my back, then he leaned, his face so near, I could feel his breath on my face, then without further ado…..

He _shook_ me.

I frowned puzzled, how could ruin such romantic moment with such rude gesture?

"Harry! What are you---?

He shook me again, even harder.

"Harry, what the hell are you doing?"

"Harry?" he said, his voice becoming irritating, very much unlike him. "Granger wake up and stop dreaming about your stupid boy toy."

My eyes flew open and I saw two steely orbs staring at me very closely, framed by a significant frown of concern….staring a little too close for my comfort.

"You know, it's _illegal_ to take advantage of unconscious people!" I spat out indignantly, realizing that I was lying on the lap of my arch nemesis.

"Conceited, aren't we? I don't aim that low." He sneered and let go of me unceremoniously, consequently I hit my head with the hard, cold marble floor.

I pondered for a second what he meant with that. Did he mean that he didn't take advantage of unconscious ones or he meant he didn't aim for me? _Arse._

Either way, I still found the idea of him touching me insulting.

I looked around the room perplexed; I wasn't in Dumbledore's office anymore, I was in the Infirmary.

"You passed out." He said, reading my mind. "I carried you here."

"Thank---

"And let me tell you, you are _very heavy." _ He said indignantly, "I'll have a back ache for months! I had to carry you away from the door, to the bed from which you decided to slide off!"

I bit back my words, feeling anger starting to rise up in my chest like a lion preparing to attack. I simply ignored his rude comment and checked my watch.

_9:00 am. _

"Tee hehe…" That was probably the gayest man-giggle I have ever heard.

I looked up at him weirdly, was he….was he _laughing?_

"What's so funny?" I asked, not feeling quite happy of having someone laughing at my expense.

"Oh nothing, just the idea of any girl passing out because she didn't get Head Girl", He didn't even try to cover the peals of laughter my misery caused him.

"_Whew!" _ He whistled, removing a tear from his right eye with an elegant flourish of his hand

I chose to ignore this comment too.

"I have to go to class." I stood up, perhaps a little too fast because I immediately felt light-headed and swooned forward, head burying in Malfoy's chest.

"I don't feel so good." I managed to croak out, snuggling in the enemy's chest (that sounds so weird). My knees felt like jelly, he smelled _nice_.

Memories of what happened a few hours earlier rushed to my head.

"_The new head girl is Pavarti Patil."_

Suddenly, I felt like throwing up again. Oh lord!

Malfoy pushed me off him none too gently, apparently he liked his personal space and what he _didn't_ like was me invading it. I sat on the floor with my head between my knees, trying to lessen the nausea, but to no avail.

_Dumbledore's gone mad, how can he choose **her** over **me**? I've worked so hard…what are Harry and Ron going to think? Mom and Dad? The entire student body? It's all those prefects' fault, Ravenclaws never liked me…My grades are better than any of theirs…Hufflepuffs think I'm a conceited idiot and Slytherins…don't get me started on **those**. _

I'm not one to drown in self pity, but the moment just screamed for it.

_I should've seen it coming..._

Maybe being head girl came with an image stereotype.

_Then I never had a shot. _

Suddenly I felt angrier than ever. Fine, if the prefects thought that a pair of double D's were worth more than seven years of perfect grades and great behaviour then they could take their stupid head girl badge and shove it were the sun doesn't shine!

_Its better off this way, I get more time to spend with Harry…..and Ron. Harry wouldn't care if I was head girl or not, he likes me as I am. He thinks I'm better than Pavarti; actually, he never really liked Pavarti. Neither did Ron…_

'_He did go to the Yule Ball with her though..!' _said a little voice in my head.

Nausea really kicked in now and I couldn't bite back the moan of discomfort that came out.

"Granger, I don't know about Mudbloods but sitting with your legs spread and moaning like an animal while you're at it isn't really appropriate in normal civilization" drawled Malfoy, staring at me from his spot on the floor with a raised eyebrow, a pink flush gracing his cheeks.

"Malfoy, _fuck you, _you're nothing but a smarmy Death Eater bastard so don't lecture me about proper behaviour"

Shite

His reaction was actually of surprise, his eyes went wide and his mouth agape before it all turned into white hot anger and his face contorted with rage, this was apparently the drop that spilt the glass.

"_How dare you!"_ his eyes narrowed almost into slits "you filthy Mudblood!"

He roughly picked me up from the floor and rammed me against him angrily, his hands had a dead grip on my arms, his face mere inches from mine. He was _scary._

"Don't you ever, _ever, _EVER tell that to ME!" I could feel how his chest reverberated with every word; he shook me to the point of dizziness with his every word just as his scalding breath fanned my face, followed by the rhythmical beating of his speeding heart.

At first I didn't know what to do, how to react to his offence but then I did what was most logical.

PLAFF!

I slapped him across the face as hard as my strength would let me and he staggered backwards in utter shock. The sound of my hand colliding with his cheek was so loud that ill people around us stared in wonder; obviously they were just pretending to be asleep.

Silence settled in and time seemed to go slower, not a noise in the room but the gossiping of some very excited and very injured first years.

_Okay so maybe we overreacted here…_

_No way, he deserved it, _said a shrilly voice inside my skull.

_Well he only shook me once or twice; I slapped the life out of him…again! Twice! Physical damage! _

_Well what about all the psychological damage he has inflicted on you for the past seven years, does the word Mudblood ring a bell? _the shrill voice if my conscience on crack screamed at me.

_I'm gonna apologi-_

"You're going to pay for this, Granger." He glared at me from scalding metallic pools of grey, ready to burn me whole any moment now. Now I wasn't scared, I was scared _shitless_.

I was about to retort when he started talking again, leaning against the wall, still glaring at me with all his might.

"I may have said this before, Granger, you probably think all my threats are vain but mark my words now, _this time_ you pay, Granger. Last time I let it pass, gave you an opportunity to redeem yourself but now, oh Granger! Now you're gonna pay!"

"_Did you hear that?" _

"_He threatened her!"_

"_I can't believe this, were they dating before? I saw him carry her in here, he looked very worried!" _

"Oi! Little idiots! Be quiet over there before I rip you apart limb by limb!" Malfoy yelled at them angrily, the first years seemed quite asleep immediately.

I had decided on staying quiet, trying not to make sudden movements to avoid getting him angrier when that blasted Gryffindor bravery thing kicked in and words came out of my mouth before I realized what I was saying.

"Harry and Ron will tear you apart before you can lay a finger on me, Malfoy, so you better not—", I stopped talking. That came out like a challenge.

_What was that for! You idiot!_

He closed the distance betweens us in the blink of an eye.

"Malfoy, what are you do-

"_Eeeeek!_" he raised his hand and I flinched only to realize in utter embarrassment that he only placed it on my shoulder testily, smirking as usual.

"Afraid, aren't we?" He actually grinned now; he raised his hand again just to watch me blink when it got nearer, it was pure involuntary reflex I tell you! I am not afraid of him!

I glared at him.

"So where's Potty and Weasel? 'Cause I believe I've just laid a whole hand." I slapped his hand off my shoulder just as he started laughing again.

"Do that in front of Harry and he'll hex you to oblivion! Besides, it's a figure of speech!" he just continued to laugh. "I'm going –

"To shag Potter in a broom closet?" he offered still laughing at me.

URGH!

I let out an indignant huff and stomped out of the office.

_The nerve of him! God I hate him! I hate him! I hate him! I hate him! I hate him SO MUCH! _

By lunch time I was seething, I had the creepy feeling everybody already knew of the little event that occurred inside Dumbledore's office. As if fainting was something that bad! I mean my whole career is at risk here! Hello!

The only person that seemed to relate was Harry, since he experienced something much like it if not worse with the dementors back in third year, thinking of this as a good thing, I stomped my way inside the Great Hall trying to ignore the stares and shout outs I got from other students, specially the words of a certain disgusting, remarkably stupid and ugly _ferret. _

I sat between Harry and Ginny and threw my bag on the floor with a bit more strength than I meant and it landed on the floor with a thump. They exchanged meaningful looks and then turned to look at me again. Ron was stuffing his face again but this didn't stop him from talking first.

"Shwoengig blong egrmiole?" I tried to ignore the half masticated cow inside his mouth and concentrate on formulating an answer.

"I'm sure you all know already, so I won't bother to explain." I smiled glumly, trying not to look at any of them.

"Being Head Girl is overrated, Herms. You only get your own room and some extra duties like planning school events and such." Ron finally swallowed his food and was talking normally.

I started to bang my head with the table. Harry seemed to have kicked Ron from under the table because he let out a yelp and started rubbing his knee; I simply continued banging my head on the table. Until Harry's hand slipped in between so I wouldn't hit my head with the table too hard. So sweet…!

I stopped banging my head and looked up at him with a grateful smile, he smiled back and I felt like melting into a puddle and just staying there.

"I don't care if you're head girl or not, Hermione. I like you a lot as it is and I'm more than glad that now you have extra time to spend with me." He gave me a toothy smile. Ron and Ginny stared at him with their eyebrows raised meaning they wanted an explanation.

I analysed what he said. _I like you a lot as it is……_

_Oooh! _

"We…we like you a lot….as it is…yes…" he avoided the pointed look the three of us gave him. "Ahem….stop staring at me like that!"

Ginny choked on her giggles.

"Hahaha….so herms…cough…Hermione, how are you feeling? I mean are you alright?" Ginny slung an arm around my shoulders into a hug.

"I'm alright, I just need to…you know…..sulk a little." I let out a watery smile and now Harry looked like he was the one melting. Hehe…I'm so evil.

cough "loser!" cough

I cocked an eyebrow "need a cough drop, Smith?"

Zacharias Smith gave me a knowing smirk, Ginny sneered at him. The idiotic Hufflepuff didn't know how to choose his fights; he was a bit of a copy of Malfoy only more stupid.

Harry was already choking him before he could answer, his hands wrinkling the collar of his robe. "You say something like that again and you won't have a tongue to talk with, got it Smith?"

"O-o-okay, but let me go please!" he winced as Harry violently let him go and he immediately rocketed out of the Great Hall as though the devil was on his tail.

You don't want to get on Harry's bad side; he's got more rage than all the rage every student in Hogwarts, Durmstrang and Beauxbatons together can muster.

"So who got head boy?" Ginny offered, trying to lighten the mood.

"Draco Malfoy" I barked out with distaste. "That sodding bastard!"

Malfoy seemed to have heard me because he threw me a dangerous look that made me cringe.

"But oh Hermione! He may be a complete idiot but he sure is gorgeous" Lavender barged in our conversation rudely "Too bad Pavarti got the place and you didn't… Tough luck I guess!"

"Go lay someone, Lavender." She huffed indignantly and turned her back on us, back to chatting frivolously with her little frivolous friends.

"Wow…Herms…I know you're angry but there's no need to be rude!" Ron sputtered in shock.

I've never been rude to anyone, but today seemed like the right time to be like that. Twice in the same hour I had been humiliated with immature (yet hurtful) comments about what a big failure I was….or am…I don't know anymore!

"Shut up, Ron. She deserved that!" Ginny snapped at him, with one last lethal glare she turned to look at Seamus and started chatting animatedly with him. She's moody I tell you!

"I don't feel like eating." I pushed my plate aside and the food seemed to glare at me like everyone else did. I pinched the meat with my fork before letting it drop making a clattering noise and grabbing my bag.

"Come on guys, we've got Charms"

By the following week I had already forgotten all about Malfoy's threat, Lavender's comment and the fact that I didn't make it to Head Girl. Actually, the Weasleys were quite delighted (especially Fred and George) while Mom and Dad didn't even care, they said they only wanted me safe and sound and perhaps that I came for Christmas.

Stopping my train of thought before it got too far, I made my way to DADA class with Harry and Ron chatting cheerily, yet I wondered who the teacher was this year. I mean, the man (or woman) hadn't shown up for one class and we're reaching October!

As though reading my thoughts Harry asked,

"Who do you reckon will be the teacher? I mean, we haven't done anything in class for _weeks_, what could delay the teacher so long?"

"Probably some crazy bloke like last week…" we all reflected on Professor Crook for a couple of seconds…poor man.

Last week, when we had our first DADA classes of the year we gave them with Prof. Crook, a sandy haired man in his 50's with a walking stick that he used to threaten us with saying that he would bang our brains out if we didn't behave. The man was mental and when I say mental, I mean _mental. _He made us do a field trip inside the Forbidden Forest at midnight on a full moon! He died that very day, got attacked by a giant bat.

"Terrible thing…terrible" Harry shook his head solemnly and I nodded.

The solemn moment was interrupted by Ron who let out a loud snort of laughter that clearly said "What the bloody hell do I care!"…immediately we burst into laughter.

"What if we get a female teacher this year?" Ron asked once the laughter died down.

I exhaled deeply "Ronald we had a female teacher back in fifth year, remember Umbridge?"

Harry and Ron started to make choking and sputtering sounds with a look of great distaste.

"What!"

"Umbridge does NOT, under any condition of any sort is considered a woman under any kind of reason!" Ron spat indignantly "That's an insult to women, Hermione"

I couldn't help but laugh at his comment.

"You're crazy, Ron" Harry could only agree.

We sat down at the front of the class as usual feeling pretty eager to start but I knew this feeling would deflate quickly. Half an hour flowed by us like breeze.

"Guess there's no DADA class for us today…." Harry sighed disappointedly; he seemed to be waiting for one of us to make a comment.

"No need to worry though we know plenty of DADA as it is." I ruffled his hair with a smile.

"Well I've still got you so I feel better about it" suddenly he seemed better looking than ever, green eyes sparkling brightly through those bottle shaped glasses that made him look kind of nerdy and the hair! The messy hair!

He looked dreamy…ah…

He caught my hand and entwined it with his making my stomach do a gymnastic routine. Oddly enough Ron hadn't interrupted us, his gaze was fixed on his notebook were he doodled absentmindedly.

_Perfect…_

Harry grinned at me "Say Hermione, I was wondering …would you like to go tadpole fishing? I like to squish them into jelly and then eat them.

"How dare you imply that the Chuddly Cannons aren't good enough to beat the Tornadoes!" Ron shouted, face aflame and seething.

"They're fourth in the league Ron, Tornadoes are the first!" Seamus yelled back.

_Testosterone overdrive…this is gonna end in a fist fight_; I chuckled slightly at my own thought which is by the way, right because they were already shoving each other.

"Had a good nap, Herms?" Harry asked me suddenly.

_Oh yes a very good one, you were in it occasionally. _

"Not particularly because I didn't actually fall asleep since Ron here likes to use his lungs to the fullest." I smiled at Harry.

"Well maybe we can take a nap later, _away from Ron._" He didn't seem to realize what he was saying because he was smiling slightly….that is until he realized that everyone in the room what staring at us.

The class had gone quiet, all the chattering was gone and everybody seemed to have fixed their attention on us, they were all gaping in shock.

"Never know you were one to make _that_ kind of proposition to a girl, Potter!" someone yelled from the back.

"Say Harry, why are you banging your head with the desk?" asked Ron, who had clearly noticed nothing.

Luckily, class ended at that exact moment so I zoomed out of there, bumping and knocking aside many students on the way but not bothering to listen to their indignant curses or even apologizing. Dinner was suddenly not as a appealing as it was mere moments ago so I headed to my sanctuary, the library. I pushed past the doors ignoring the pointed look Madam Pince gave me, waved my way through the desks and finally got to the bookshelf furthest away from Madam Pince or anyone for that matter.

Resting my head on the cool oak wood of the shelf I considered what I was going to do now that I was inside the library. Read? Perhaps...

Sighing, I walked from book shelf to book shelf feeling quite annoyed. _Arithmancy, Charms, Transfiguration, Ancient Runes…_I had already read it all. Just then, I saw it.

The Restricted Section

_Oh no no no noooo, Hermione! It's the RESTRICTED section._

My conscience placed extra emphasize on the word restricted. But restricted or not at the moment it seemed like the answer to my prayers. Polished oak doors with the words RESTRICTED on golden letters, it seemed to draw me into it. I mean, I hadn't been inside that section since second year and I only came in looking for that potions book….and madam Pince was there all the time…I couldn't even catch a glimpse of the other books before she kicked me out.

_Stop making excuses; you're not going in there! _

_Curiosity never hurt anyone, Hermione. It's a normal reaction…._

_Curiosity killed the cat; it gave it a painful, slow, tortuous death involving needles and hot wax. _My conscience warned me.

_You forget the cat had nine lives. _ A voice resembling Malfoy's said in a sing song tone.

"Blast it!" I my hand grasped the knob and turned and before I knew it I was inside and still breathing.

_See Hermione? No harm done. _The Malfoy-like voice told me with a snigger.

Amazing how after so many years the restricted section still smelled the same, the mouldy tang of old books and the sweetness of the pine wood shelves made me feel like I was home, safe of any kind of disturbance. Inside this place most of the books talked about the Dark Arts, dark charms, dark curses, and dark potions. Eerie as it seems, it's very interesting.

I went from to shelf to shelf grabbing book after book, perusing through a particularly interesting one. I walked around the section absentmindedly while stacks of books levitated behind me, following obediently.

…_The Flagaris curse is an especially difficult one to achieve. Being a Dark curse; it requires a great quantity of magical power to even perform it in a weak form. Making a slashing movement across the image of the person it is performed on, a whip-like flame should appear and go through said person's chest causing…._

I paused my reading for a few minutes. That curse was very much alike the one performed on me back in fifth year. Inside the Department of Mysteries, a death eater performed it on me…..Dolohov I think…

Placing my hand on my chest and tracing a small vertical line, I seemed to remember everything vividly. The burning feeling, the surprise it caused me to be attacked so suddenly and violently….._the look on Harry's face…_

_Don't think about that. _

I shook my head, freed myself from those thoughts and resumed my reading.

…_person's chest causing unconsciousness and in some cases death, therefore the use of this curse is prohibited by article number three of law number eighty tw---_

Ummph!

I collided with something hard and landed on my backside violently, book flying out of my hands instantly and landing raucously on the floor beside me.

"Bloody hell!" I looked up, trying to cover the fact that I had just sworn and did so quite loudly. _Don't let it be a teacher. _

I prayed to every god, demon and deity in the universe for it not to be a teacher. I saw a set of polished black shoes which connected with elegant black cashmere trousers, shiny black belt, and torso wrapped in a white scholar shirt. Robes that seemed tailored for him not to mention the pale skin peaking out of the collar of the aforementioned shirt. The blonde hair, pointy chin and noble eyebrows told me everything I needed but didn't want to know about the person standing before me.

I groaned, the gods must be having a real laugh. The person before me was none other than Draco Malfoy, git extraordinaire. Heck this is worse than a teacher!

"Well, well, well….if it isn't Granger herself!" he drawled, smirking as usual. "Wonder what she is doing in here! You know….the _restricted section." _

"What are you doing here?" I snapped at him with a glare that I doubted caused any effect on him since I was sitting on the floor rather pathetically. He looked bigger and more imposing than ever.

"Do you always answer a question with another question?" that line reminded me of a muggle movie.

"Do you always avoid every question thrown at you?"

He raised an eyebrow. _Typical_

"Answer my question, Granger"

"I'm reading, and you?" I declared. _When in doubt, go for obvious. _

"Same…" he answered nonchalantly. He merely stared at me for a couple of seconds as though assessing me and every physical reaction I gave when he spoke to me. His gaze was fixed on me completely, giving me the chills.

"It's rude to stare." I smirked at him as he quickly removed his eyes from my being.

"As if I would ever set my eyes on your kind, I was merely admiring the way your hair seems to defy gravity"

My hands flew to my hair while I cringed with embarrassment. _Git… _

"Question here, Granger, what are you reading? I mean, almost every book here is related to the Dark Arts or is…" his eyes glinted mischievously "_mature reading." _

I merely glared at him.

"So are we changing sides or are we being a naughty girl?" He smirked again and I had to hold the urge to just smack it off again.

"Neither. I'm merely expanding my knowledge" he gave me a suspicious glance.

"Expanding your knowledge on what?"

"Curses" he stiffened suddenly, he seemed to realize that I was bound to ask back.

"And you, Malfoy?" gathering some info to use when you become a Death Eater or being a naughty boy?" Ha! Now it was my turn to smirk.

He answered with a cocky smile "The latter, Granger. I've got to please the ladies"

Now I regretted asking him, I felt my face on fire and I probably was much more flushed than I felt. He was just _disgusting. _

"You know you can't be in here without authorization, even if you have to…"I stopped momentarily, cringing in distaste "ahem…_please the ladies_, as you so elegantly put it." His smirk widened as I realized my stupidity.

_Bloodybuggershitbullockscrapfuckbloodyfreakingshite! _

_You stupid, stupid witch! _

He had an authorization, and he was going to ask me back.

"Snape gave me a lifetime authorization last year, Granger, plus I'm Head Boy so I can come in here any time I want. I'm the highest authority here after the teachers"

"Smug, aren't we?"

"Of course"

"Well now that we've established that…" I got up so quick I almost tripped on my own two feet "…I have to go now; Harry and Ron must be looking for me. Ta!" I spun on my heel and made to leave. I hadn't even given two steps when Malfoy's voice filled the restricted section again.

"Forgetting something?" I turned around and saw him holding a book recognizable as the one I was reading a moment before. _Shite! _

"Oh…my book…" I strode towards him and stretched my arm to grab it before he suddenly pulled it above his head making it almost unreachable since he's about 6' feet tall and I am more of a measly 5'4'' kind of girl. I sighed and stretched to the point I was standing on the tip of my toes trying to grab it ineffectively.

He grinned in satisfaction "Where's your authorization, Granger?"

I hopped and he held it even higher eliciting a groan of annoyance from me, "give me my book"

"Not until you answer my question, love" I jumped again but to no avail. _Damn you and your height! _

"You're no one to question me, _give me my book!_" I gave one last jump to grab it, only managing to stumble against Malfoy's taller form.

"I'll give you the book when you show me your authorization" I backed down, deciding I could get the book back when I come back later. _That is if I come back. _

"I have my authorization, Malfoy, no need to worry" he gave me a look that clearly said 'Oh really?' and he whipped out his wand in the blink of an eye.

"_Accio authorization!_" he seemed surprised when nothing happened.

He tried again, nothing. He tried one more time and still nothing, he did it one last time and nothing happened again. He raised an eyebrow and eyed me disbelievingly.

"You don't have an authorization." Now I was in, as Americans put it, _deep shit, _"Tsk…tsk…one would think the school's most talented student would know better…."

"I'll be leaving now,"

I was leaving, I swear but he had to go and threaten me!

"Wonder what McGonagall would say about this…." Immediately I spun around and grabbed his arm with a pathetic 'Don't!'

He looked like Christmas had come early this year, "what's in it for me?"

_Selfish bastard! _

"The fact that I'll owe you one?" I offered, letting go of his arm.

"You know I'll hold you to that don't you, Granger?" his eyes glinted mischievously as he handed me the book back.

I merely gulped, now considering the idea of letting him tell McGonagall…

"Okay what do you want in exchange?"

"For now nothing, I enjoy the idea of keeping you on your toes" he towered over me with a teasing smile, a smile so dangerous I took several steps backs.

"It's a deal then?" I held out my hand expectantly which he looked at with distaste before turning back to the shelf, perusing through it.

_I'll take that as a yes, you smarmy git! _

TBC…

**A/N: Well? How did you like it? Review and tell me what you think, what you liked, what you didn't like, what you wish that happens, your ideas, and your thoughts on the plot…. In other words, EVERYTHING!  **

**Remember reviews make the carpel tunnel syndrome and the sore eyes worth it! **


	2. Bad Karma

Chapter No. 2

Bad Karma

It was a week after my little deal with Malfoy…

I was trying to maintain my attention on the current prefect meeting, but it was damn hard now that Parvati was talking, I mean pink coloured paper for detention slips was hardly worthy of the prefect staff's attention. I wasn't the only one who didn't seem to care in the least about what Parvati was saying; in fact most of the prefects weren't paying attention. Hanna Abbot was doodling idly on a piece of parchment, Kenneth Dearborn was playing hangman with Ernie Macmillan while Ron threw caution to the winds and slept, a thread of drool hanging from his mouth.

I couldn't help getting on a train of thought, I pondered for a second on why would anyone in his/her right mind would ever make Parvati head girl. Yes, the wounds are still sore…I just refuse to accept the fact that the prefect staff chose her over me, ingrates all of them! Obviously, they don't recognize wit and talent when they see it…now I couldn't do more than watch the school fall apart in a whirlwind of pink detention slips and vanilla scented quills while I lick my wounds, quietly saying to myself _hate to say I told you so! _

"Ingrates!" I muttered indignantly, knocking over an ink bottle as I pounded my fist on the table and startling Ron ("Earthquake!") who promptly went back to sleep leaving everybody else staring at me.

From the look on Parvati's face I could tell she wasn't happy at all with my little outburst. She huffed indignantly, flipped her hair and went on with her little speech.

I looked around the library; my gaze fixing on a couple of third years who looked a bit ruffled up and had sickly sweet grins on their faces. They probably had a good snog in the back of the library against some dusty shelves…

_Another detention slip perhaps? _I toyed with the idea for a couple of seconds but decided to leave them alone since there was probably no way that I could get up from my chair and walk towards them without having Malfoy jumping on my throat with a comment or another.

I looked at him reproachfully; he was looking at Parvati and tilting his chair on its hind legs while resting his hands on the back of his head. He appeared to be listening to everything she said attentively, his eyes never showing the slightest glaze of boredom.

_Inbred prick! _

Then I felt an intense jab on the ribs, I narrowed my eyes, looking at Ron angrily and got quite confused when I realized he was asleep. I prodded him in the nose and he swatted at my hand unconsciously. Deciding that he wasn't faking, I went back to cursing Malfoy.

He was the devil himself, with his white blonde hair slicked back and grey eyes, always watching every single detail around him, his criticism flying to and fro. Git! With his well tailored robes with that clean white shirt and those _stupid shiny shoes! _Malfoy was indeed the representation of the word _pureblood_ to the fullest extent. Tall and slim, not to mention filthy rich he was popular among girls just as much as Harry.

_Jab_

I looked down at my ribs and saw a small quill tied to a roll of paper levitating beside me and getting ready to jab me again. I snatched it up and opened it furiously, noticing the slightly familiar elongated writing.

_I've decided what I want as a favour, Granger. _

_Stay after the meeting ends and I'll tell you, _

_By the way, stop staring at me. It's unnerving. _

_D.M. _

_P.S: Don't let that lovely thread of drool hanging from your mouth hit the floor. _

I looked at Malfoy shocked, who was looking at Parvati intently as though nothing had happened but I swear I saw the corners of his mouth twitch.

I chewed on my lip, wondering whether I should stay afterwards, I know we had a deal and all but still….I had only trespassed the restricted section, and that was a week ago. Even if Malfoy told McGonagall about it, it wouldn't matter anyway. My hand tightened on the quill as I rummaged in my head for an excuse to not meet him, then a quick succession of events I wasn't ready for occurred.

Parvati slammed down her file on the table, scaring me (I bit my lip really hard) and Ron who jumped up, knocking over his chair and making me fall off mine with a loud "Oomph!" as everyone else left the room in a rustle of robes and papers.

Then I realized only Malfoy had stayed behind and was gazing at me as I lay sprawled on the floor, my skirt bunched up in my_ hips_ to my utter mortification. He ogled me gleefully, tilting his head to a side making a point of ogling at my legs as well as _beyond. _

I stood up, glaring the life out of him and dusting my robes.

He rolled his eyes, muttering something like "spoilsport".

"What do you want?" I asked, trying hard not to respond to his last remark and ignoring the sharp throb in my lower lip.

"You're bleeding" he said simply, eyes fixing on my lower lip.

"What do you—I'm bleeding?" this took me by surprise.

"Yes, Granger, profusely" he put a finger on his lower lip and so did I, feeling the warm liquid on my finger.

"Oh _shite!" _I tried to wipe the blood off with the sleeve of my robe but to no avail. My lip just kept bleeding more and more.

"Here, let me see that" he strode over to me and took out a rather expensive looking handkerchief with an elegant gesture of his hand.

"Oh no, Malfoy, there's no need to— I dodged the handkerchief— you're gonna ruin your handkerchief"

"Doesn't matter, Granger, it's only worth forty galleons. _Now—_I dodged the handkerchief again "_would you stand still!" _

He grabbed me by the jaw rather painfully and pressed the handkerchief to my lip, smirking at the annoyed expression in my face as he applied pressure on the wound. I tried to grab the handkerchief and do it myself but he slapped my hand off with an angry hiss.

"There" he removed it with a gleam of satisfaction in his eyes, he seemed to be enjoying it and somehow I got the strange feeling that he provoked everything just so he could play 'Medi-Wizard'

He pocketed the handkerchief, cleared his throat and I immediately knew he was going to tell me what he wanted.

"Granger, I need your help." I hadn't noticed before but he had bags under his eyes and he looked paler than ever. I felt an unfamiliar sting of concern.

"What kind of help?" I inquired in a business-like manner

"Patil is driving me mad" he ran his hand through his pale hair with exasperation "she's a disaster of a head girl!"

I couldn't hush the triumphal laugh that left my lips when I heard those words.

Malfoy glared at me and continued talking "she doesn't carry out her head girl duties, I have a ton of detention reports in the prefect room waiting to be revised, signed and classified in alphabetical order! But she disappears to snog her boyfriend of the day and I'm left to do everything alone. I haven't slept in a week, Granger" he was almost yelling now "Her head is full of fucking air! She does nothing all day—

"_Shhhh!"_ Came the angry voice of Madam Pince, this only riled up Malfoy a bit more.

"Oh shut up, you menopausal bat!" he snapped and made a rude gesture directed at the outraged librarian who stomped out of the library, probably to accuse us of disturbing the sacred silence of the library.

"_So_…." He continued as though nothing had happened "I need you to assist me in these duties, given the fact that Patil is utterly incompetent"

Silence settled in uncomfortably as he stared at me expectantly. I sighed hard and moved my head from side to side.

"No, Malfoy, I'm sorry" I said as nicely as possible, avoiding to make Malfoy have another outburst. Then I _politely _turned around to leave and _politely _started walking towards the door expecting the outburst any moment now. "I have enough duties as a simple prefect to take on her duties too."

3….It took a lot of concentration to find the right speed to leave, you know, because f I walked too slow Malfoy might just grab me and take me to a dark corner of the library and you know….murder me, whereas if I walked _too fast _he might call out for me, run, grab me and drag me to a dark corner of the library and commit _brutal murder_.

2….I avoided shallow breathing, and tried not to think about a perfectly nice dark corner just beside the muggle studies section in the last row of shelves to which Malfoy could drag me and commit murder and of course no one would know.

1….oh here we go…

"Granger, you better come back here before I drag you to a dark corner and commit murder!" Malfoy said in a deep, _murderous _voice. I turned around slowly and decided to act as though I hadn't just rejected Malfoy. He surveyed me from cold steely eyes and drawled "I'm not done with you"

"I don't think there's anything else to discuss, Malfoy" I scratched my nose "I was perfectly clear, you asked me a favor and I said no"

"Don't play coy, Granger" he shoved his hands in his pockets and slowly walked towards me, a smirk gracing his features "we both know we had a deal, and you're compelled to do what I ask you" he stopped walking, leaving a safe three feet distance between us.

"Oh really? You really expect me to do Parvati's job when you could easily talk to her and make her do what she has to do" I paused, feeling more and more irritated "I'll rather swallow a cauldron full of Stinksap"

"Well if you want me to just go and tell McGonagall about your little visit to the Restricted Section, fine! I'll tell her all about it, Granger! She's gonna love it" a pink flush tainted his pale cheeks as he got more riled up. "Is that what you want?"

"I'm not doing her work, Malfoy, that's her job and your problem" I looked at him cautiously, trying to guess what he was going to do now. I expected him to yell at me a bit more but he didn't.

The bastard _smiled_.

It was this unnatural gesture that couldn't be described as a smile. It was more like a leer that gave him a Cheshire-like aura, his teeth so white and straight that Mom and Dad would've been proud.

It made me cringe, it made my skin crawl.

"It's perfectly clear for me now, Granger; I shouldn't have asked you to do Parvati's work, even though it wasn't even her job…." He stared at his nails with mild interest "It was a brand new position in the school hierarchy but I take it back now"

I stared, baffled.

He gave me another sinister smile "I just realized you're not up to snuff"

"Why not?" My curiosity spiked in a rather whiny voice, Malfoy quirked an eyebrow at this comment.

"Well— he gave me another look— you're being immature, conceited and you seem to keep old grudges inside"

_The nerve of him!_ "Do you understand the fact that you just described yourself, Malfoy?"

He quit looking at his fingernails and smirked "Have I?"

"Yes, Malfoy, you described your personality very well" my blood was boiling now, I felt like smacking his sodden face.

"See, that's what I'm talking about Granger" he slung his arm around my shoulders, pulling me into a chummy sort of hug that I tried to wriggle out of but he tightened his grip on my shoulders. We headed to the library stacks, walking through the passages as he spoke "You won't accept my offer because you think you're too good to work with me, you won't do Parvati's work because you're still sore about the fact that she beat you to Head Girl although if she hadn't won you would gladly take the position."

"It's not about her! It's about the fact that you're trying to coerce me into doing her work; it's her responsibility and none of my business!"

"Granger, you're going to regret breaking our deal so much" he stopped in the dark corner of the Muggle Studies section behind the last row of shelves and I fought his grip more than ever, making him chuckle softly.

"This is a threat, Granger" He faced me with a smirk "will you reconsider?"

"No" I turned around to leave again, feeling sure that this time he wasn't going to say anything and he didn't say anything. _Thank God! _

Of course…he was right.

I stabbed my Sheppard's pie with my fork, ignoring completely the piece of steak waiting to be digested that lay beside it. I had no appetite at all due to a lot of things starting with the fact that Malfoy's gaze was fixed on me from the moment I stepped in the Great Hall and that Ron kept looking from him to me as though we had offended him personally and asking me if I wanted him to beat the crap out of Malfoy.

I looked up from my plate to see if Malfoy had finally stopped looking at me.

He didn't, the smarmy little git actually had the nerve to wink at me with a nasty smile plastered on his bleached face. I quickly turned my gaze back down to my plate knowing that he was still looking at me, Ron nudged at Harry who quickly noticed what was going on and placed an arm around my waist (this sent a jolt of electricity up my spine) in a possessive gesture.

"Is Malfoy bothering you, Hermione?" Harry whispered, glaring at Malfoy who merely smirked at me and turned back to look at the babbling Pansy beside him.

"Well…." I looked at Malfoy again, at his sodden bleached face experiencing a nasty jolt of bête-noir. Ron was looking at me expectantly, he really wanted to kick Malfoy's ass and I didn't want to let him down...

"Yes, he's been awful to me all day long"

"I'm going to rip his insides out! He won't know pain worse than facing me" Ron said, eyes wild and hair flying "I'm going to kill him!"

He stabbed my steak violently with his fork for emphasis and meat juice splattered on my robes. _Disgusting…_

"We're going to pay him a visit when he's walking to his common room, don't worry, Herms" Harry said as Ron greedily dragged my steak to his plate with a nasty sound that can only be described as _schloeshk! _

I couldn't help the smirk that crept upon my face as I registered what Harry had just said, at last someone was going to show Malfoy to respect others and it was delightful that he was going to learn it the hard way.

Malfoy got up from his seat and strutted out of the Great Hall, unknowingly giving the cue for Harry and Ron to go beat the magic out of his discoloured arse. Harry pressed a kiss on my cheek before leaving with a gleeful-murderous Ron.

'_That'll teach you not to mess with this Mudblood, Malfoy!' _I thought merrily as I watched Harry and Ron disappear behind the giant doors of the Great Hall.

Giving one last look to the offended looking Sheppard's pie and deciding that there was no way to bring back my appetite, I got up and wove my way to the Gryffindor common room, climbing the stairs in a jubilant fashion but by the time I stood in front of the Fat Lady's portrait all happiness had evaporated.

'_He deserves it, the disgusting git' _I thought reassuringly, but my stomach kept churning every few seconds. _'Oh Malfoy if—'_

"Come back from Orpheus arms, m'dear" said the Fat Lady, looking rather impatient "I don't have all night"

"Oh the password!" the Fat Lady raised her eyebrows cynically "tweak"

The Fat Lady swung open but as soon as I tried to step in she swung back to her original position and in the process, almost beheading me.

"I'm sorry, m'dear but I forgot to tell you something" she gave me a devilish smile "A young man was looking for you about a moment ago, you see _that_ hasn't happened since that Krum boy…what? Three years ago" She said somewhat mockingly.

I twitched.

"Well the boy demanded to see you immediately. He told me to tell you that he needed to talk you as soon as you got here, he was rather unpleasant but nevertheless..." she trailed off and fanned herself wildly.

I had to try very, _very _hard not to roll my eyes or just wrench her off her blasted frame. Obviously, I knew who she was talking about. That smarmy bastard wanted to pester me again! The nerve of him….

"Well, if he comes again tell him I haven't come back yet" I spoke in a bossy tone "Actually, tell him I'm busy and that I don't have time to deal with snivelling gits like him!"

The Fat Lady gave me a surprised look "Lover's quarrel?"

"_God no! _I wouldn't go near that arse if I had to choose between him and the Giant Squid!" I gave a derisive laugh as the Fat Lady swung open again and I stepped inside.

As soon as she swung shut I let out a wail of anger that scared several owls in a fifty mile radius. Then, exhausted from such gruelling lung labour I went to my room and launched myself onto bed like a torpedo.

It was sunny outside, I could tell. Glaring sunbeams drifted in from the curtains stinging my eyes and reminding me to wake up rather annoyingly…and of course the fucking birds were chirping.

Stupid birds, all they ever do is to chirp and shit.

I got up from bed with a groan and looked around wildly, there was something wrong here. It wasn't annoying enough just yet….where was Lavender? I didn't bother wondering about Pavarti since she had moved to her posh personal bedroom, one of the perks of being Head Girl. I looked at my watch and cursed:

_10:58am_

I was late for class, _very late_ for class.

Kicking the covers, I made to jump out of bed by launching myself out but in the middle of this gymnastic routine my right foot got stuck on the covers and I collapsed on the floor with a force of cataclysmic proportions.

_Crack! _

I felt a bone snap and then just immense pain in my right foot, I managed to look at it and let out a shrilly scream of horror. My ankle looked weirdly misplaced and the rest of my foot was rapidly turning purple. Swearing loudly, I limped towards the bathroom while I picked up some clean robes and a series of hairpins to tame my hair (this was a big effort). I discarded my clothes like an old skin and put on the uniform faster than it takes to say "Quidditch". Taking a shower was out of the question since my foot had now swelled to the size of a beach ball.

I tried not to concentrate on the fact that the pain was expanding with every passing second, it had now turned a nasty shade of purple giving it the look of a nauseating pulsing organ. Limping towards the mirror, I grabbed the handful of hairpins and started sticking them into my head and making a messy bun, but then I realized maybe I had been a little rough on the last hairpin because it rocketed out of my head and onto the mirror with a _spyoooh! _It bounced back and hit me in the eye with the force of a nuclear projectile.

Everything blurred and I let out a howl of pain, staggering blindly across the room and groping for the door, tripping on my discarded clothes and falling on my face. Finally, I saw a blurry oak coloured door and the shining brass knob that would lead me out of this death trap. I crawled en route for the door and grasped the door knob for support.

BANG!

The door burst open, the knob smashing against my forehead violently. I fell backwards and skidded across the floor while hearing distant shouting like hazy radio interference.

Suddenly everything became clear; Lavender was standing over me with a worried expression. She helped me get up and I yelped, shifting the weight on my uninjured foot.

"Hermione, are you okay?" Lavender screamed making my head throb horribly.

"Yes, I'm having a blast" I responded sarcastically.

_Thud_

I passed out.


End file.
